


Bonding

by keepquietplease



Series: Sanders Sides Stories [39]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: AFAB Virgil, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blood Drinking, Breeding, Chubby Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Color Blindness, Eggs, Elf Logic | Logan Sanders, Fae Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Fae Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Hemipenis, Human Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, I'm so sorry, Lamia Deceit | Janus Sanders, Misgendering, Multi, Nonbinary Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, Siren Morality | Patton Sanders, They/Them Pronouns for Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Transphobia, accidental misgendering, and needs eggs, color blind virgil, it's only mentioned, janus has snake parts, uhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:22:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27785944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keepquietplease/pseuds/keepquietplease
Summary: Virgil lost their bonds as soon as they were born.  They always thought the whole soulmate thing was bullshit because they wouldn't experience it the same way everyone else would.But maybe it wasn't all bad.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Sanders Sides Stories [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1837975
Comments: 3
Kudos: 95





	Bonding

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone. If you noticed, I've been gone awhile. It's finals season, and I had two exams and half of a final project due last week. Those aren't even my main finals. So yes.  
> I'll be taking longer again.
> 
> Also, I chose the skirt before Thomas did Virgil's skirt reveal. I feel like we always knew

Virgil didn't have a single soulmate. Their parents begged a local witch for a healing potion when their mother realized she was going to die before giving birth to Virgil, and the witch agreed as long as she got the first born son. When Virgil was born, there were complications. The beautiful baby boy wasn't a boy, and their mother was already having issues conceiving. The witch, feeling betrayed, put a curse on Virgil. They lost any soulmates they had. Someone still considered them a soulmate, but they had none of their own. She took away their right to have that connection. The relationship--or relationships, seeing as polyamorous soulmates became more common--would be one sided, and it'd be all their fault for not being born male.

They heard about how people found their soulmates. Colors would appear once you found them. You'd feel their emotions and pain. Kids in their daycare would bully Virgil, claiming they were their soulmate. Virgil would get excited only to watch them laugh and run off. The caretakers weren't much help, either. Lecturing the kids but not actually stopping anyone from pranking Virgil again. Once they started school, they were sent to a school for the cursed. Their classmates were nicer there. A lot of people were cursed until they met their soulmate, something they were envious of. People lost senses, body parts, abilities, and more, but for the most part, they curse would be broken once they met their soulmate. The world was completely grey for Virgil, and it always would be, but they always supported their friends when they met their soulmates.

By the time Virgil was twenty, they were one of the few adults in town that was colorblind. Most of their friends found their soulmates and were able to see everything. They were jealous. They wanted to be able to be adventurous and not wear only black hoodies and jeans in fear of mismatched outfits. They treated themselves that day. They called their mother, and had her tell them what color the skirt they wanted to wear was. A nice purple and black plaid skirt. They wore a black sweater with it. They thanked their mother before heading to work. They had a job at the library. They enjoyed their work. It was usually slow, but they didn't mind.

It was another lovely Tuesday. They just got off of work, walking back to their house outside of the city limits. There was a light breeze. They made it past the big iron gates, humming as they went down the dirt path into the forest with their eyes closed. They bumped into someone and quickly heard an offended gasp. Something was off. The air had a gentle buzz, something they associated with magic. They just hit a faery. Shit. The courts here were nicer to humans, and this wasn't the first time they accidentally bumped into a non-human. They opened their eyes to see who they hit. The faery was practically glowing, and he looked like he was ripped straight out of a children's tale.

"Watch where you're--oh."

Virgil paused, getting ready to apologize before their hand was taken.

"Do you see that?"

"No." They yanked their arm back, continuing to walk.

"Wait, ma'am!"

They cringed at that. Small town, so no one really misgendered Virgil in town limits, but the forest was bigger. They walked faster. The faery was right behind them.

"I believe we're soulmates! See, I have two others right now, and we only had so many colors, but I ran into you, and now I can see more! Your skirt is wondrous! Miss, please listen to me!"

 _Stop following me_. Virgil prayed, increasing their pace. The saw a ridge they knew well, taking a quick left and going up the stone path to their humble abode. They got their keys out, ignoring the continuous chatter. Once the voice got too close for comfort, they turned around and did the first thing they could think of.

They kicked the faery in the gut, using as much force as possible. They watched the fae stumble backwards, quickly entering their home and slamming the door shut. They made sure all the doors and windows were locked. There was loud banging at their front door, the calls of 'miss' and 'ma'am' coming from outside, but they ignored it. The only thing that made their blood run cold was when the fae spoke up one last time.

"I'll be back with our other soulmates, my darling princess!"

Then he was gone, and Virgil was alone. They went to the kitchen to grab some juice, sitting on the counter and nervously glancing out the window. This was alright. They could easily explain to the fae that they panicked and felt threatened. They'd apologize, tell them all that they don't have a soulmate, and correct all of them about their pronouns. They bit their nails, panicking a bit. How do you tell someone that you don't share the soul bond? That you would never feel the same way they did?

They had no idea how to do that.

A knock at the door made them scream. They checked their watch. They had been worrying on the counter for an hour.

"Hello! Our darling princess! We've returned!"

Maybe if they were completely quiet. The scream could've been them getting murdered. They didn't know. Another spoke up.

"Hello? Sorry Ro's being so loud! Will you let us in?"

Virgil didn't know what happened. They heard the sweetest voice outside of their door, and they got up quickly to open it. They needed to follow that voice. They flung the door open. The one who spoke made their heart drop. Beautiful. They wanted to get as close as possible.

"Thank you! Oh, shoot, did I use the voice?"

Another being, not the asshole fae or the sweet voiced one, spoke. "Yes."

"Oh no! I'm sorry, sweetheart. May I hold your hand?"

They nodded, feeling the softest hand take their own. They wanted to melt and do whatever this being asked of them. They wanted to give in so badly.

"What's your name, sweetheart? Oh, and pronouns. I'm sure our darling Roman grew too excited to ask for those."

"Um, I'm Virgil. They and them."

They heard the asshole one curse and begin to apologize, but they were so focused on the beautiful face. They struggled a bit, trying to remember what they were supposed to tell the soulmates. They felt their hand being squeezed, bringing them back slightly. "Now, sweetheart, I can see more colors. Isn't it lovely to be able to see colors?"

"I--ah, um, I don't know. I can't see any colors."

Silence. They remembered what they needed to say.

"I, um, I don't have any soulmates. You do. It's a one way bond. I wasn't given the privilege of. . . having anyone. Anyone I was supposed to be with won't have a connection with me like normal soulmates. Your hands are really soft. I can't have a soul bond. I can have a regular bond, romantic or platonic, but I can't have one that's connected to my soul. You'll be connected to me, but I won't be to you. Might be better if--god, you're attractive--you don't bother."

"Well that just won't do, sugarplum. Can we come in? Talk about it more?"

"Oh my god, your voice is so pretty."

"Oh goodness! Are you a human?"

Virgil nodded, seeing all of them frown. They panicked a bit. "Um, as I was saying. Really better to leave me out of the whole soulmate thing. Sorry for, um, kicking, uh, Ro?"

"Virgil, was it?" The third one asked, slithering towards them--oh, he had the body of the snake. Virgil didn't notice that before--and beginning to wrap around their body. "So warm. Warmer than those two. May we come in? We could also take you to our own home. I'm Janus. That's Patton and Roman. Lovely eyes. Patton, dear, can you get out the color chart we have? I want to know what color eyes they have."

Janus tightened around Virgil as he took a piece of paper from the sweet one. He stared at it before looking at Virgil, tightening a bit more which made them choke a bit. 

"Purple and green. Two different colors. Lovely. So? Our place, or shall we come in?"

"Tight." Virgil whispered. Janus loosened the hold, hissing gently in their ear. "My home's a mess. I just got home from work."

"Our house it is."

Janus didn't get off of them as the other two turned to walk. Virgil slowly began walking after a pause, realizing Janus wasn't moving. His tail was flicking up and down their thigh, under their skirt. Their home wasn't too far. They lived in a cave with an ivy curtain near the front. The cave was huge. There was a whole stream that lead to a waterfall in it, and there were tunnels leading to separate parts of the cave. They were lead down one tunnel to a section covered in moss with a pool of water in the middle. Both beings sat with their feet in the pool, motioning for Virgil to join them. They did, wincing at how cold the water actually was. Janus tightened at that.

Sweet voice--Patton, they reminded themselves--spoke up. "So, it's a one-way bond? I'm sorry if you feel compelled by my voice. It's harder with humans. Sirens aren't really taught how to turn off their allure."

"Oh." Virgil responded, staring. It took them a minute to remember they were asked a question. "Sorry, um, yeah. Evil witch cursed me after I didn't do what she wanted. According to legends, there's two connecters per relationship. One was cut for, uh, I guess each of you? You get to see colors, and you get to feel my emotions, but I don't. The world remains grey, and I'm putting a burden on others without taking any of their troubles."

Janus tightened around them a bit more, smiling. "Warm. That's good enough. Patton is usually cold and Roman feels like static for the most part. It'd be nice to have a warm, sturdy person to wrap around."

Virgil was struggling to breathe, but they didn't say anything. Janus' tail was now curled around their right upper thigh. It was slowly prodding at their panties. They shifted at that, frowning. Roman seemed to take note. "Janus, stop trying to molest our new soulmate."

"They're warm. I've decided to find the warmest areas of the human body. Between the legs seems to be a very warm and damp area for the most part. There's also in the arms or between breasts." He hissed gently as he spoke, his tongue grazing Virgil's ear. "Spread your legs a bit for me, darling."

"What? No. You're not penetrating me during our first meeting. Again, I don't feel any of that soulmate stuff. You're all strangers. You may feel it for me, but I physically can't."

Janus slid a hand under their sweater, going for their bra. Virgil hissed, making him pause.

"I said no."

"I apologize. I was unaware the chest was an inappropriate area."

"It's fine. Just ask."

Janus settled, keeping his tail on their thigh and hand on their stomach. 

"I'm telling the truth. I'm not worth the trouble. I won't have the same connection until time passes. We won't be on the same level for forever. You'll always be ahead."

"Oh, sweetheart, that's okay." Patton cooed, making Virgil's body jerk to face him. Janus' tail pushed under the fabric of their undergarments as they turned. Janus let out a satisfied hiss when Virgil didn't immediately try to detach. Patton ignored all of that. "Whether you can form a quick connection with us or not, we'll be right here. That's what soulmates are for, even if our bonds are a little wonky."

"Um, thanks. I'm sorry. For everything. In the present and future. I'm not too crazy about the whole soulmate thing. It seems like bullshit--"

"Oh! I agree completely!" Roman grabbed their hand. "I believe that soulmates can be made, and that having fate decide, while it's like a fantasy story, is troublesome. I didn't even live here! I was drawn here with my brother because of the stupid strings connecting us to our soulmates! We're not allowed back home because we're both not dating faeries like us, and I do miss my mother. I love Patton and Janus, but I agree soulmates are a bit overdone."

A wave of shame hit them. It was so intense. They didn't know what to do but stare, feeling their words catch in their throat. He noticed, dropping their hand and smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry. I should've asked before grabbing your hand like that."

"No, it's okay. I mean, I already have one of you wrapping around me. I can handle someone holding my hand."

Roman immediately took it again. The shame was replaced with joy and warmth, leaving Virgil even more confused. They squirmed a bit. 

"Um, so, uh, what do you all do? I work at the library in town."

"Oh!" God, Patton's voice. He made them continue to snap in his direction, faintly aware that Janus was now around both of their upper thighs. "Well, Janus over here is a transcriber! I'm a teacher at a school for the deaf in a town just a few miles away from your own, and Ro is a choreographer!"

"Cool, cool. Weird question, are there any, uh, rules? I know I made it clear that humans have areas that are intimate, but I don't know much about your cultures."

"Don't bring up the muses to me. They're the worst. Don't thank Roman. Jan drinks human blood that's bought from a witch's store or donated to feed lamias. Just a warning!"

They nodded, glancing back at Janus. He was staring, unblinking. They tilted their head slightly, watching him inhale. "Does your bite hurt?"

He tightened his grip. "What kind of sick power play--"

"I just want to--ah!"

Painful was the answer. Not a bad pain, they noted. It felt pretty good, actually. They held their breath as Janus drank slowly, ignoring whatever Patton and Roman were saying. Then, as soon as it started, it ended. Janus pulled back, licking his teeth and pressing a kiss to their neck. 

"Fuck."

"Delicious, darling. I won't need donated blood as long as I have you. I only need to really feed once or twice a week. It won't be too much blood."

"That works. I used to donate my blood to vampires anyway, so it's fine. You hurt slightly less than they do."

Patton hummed, smiling. "I know you just said the soulmate thing was bull, but would you give us a chance? We've been excited for centuries now."

"Yeah, I guess. Weird age difference. If we ever do bond, I promised my family I'd introduce you to them, but I don't know if we'll be able to. Just no moving too quickly, okay? I don't think I can do that."

"Whatever you want, sweetheart."

* * *

Out of all of them, Virgil took a strong liking to Janus. There wasn't a second that went by that Virgil didn't allow Janus to constrict around them. Janus picked them up from work and walked them home and generally spent the most time with them. When they would all meet up, Virgil would instantly go to Janus. They even had to get on birth control early on due to his reproductive organs being so similar to his reptilian counterpart. The little spikes that held them together once Janus finished fit perfectly in Virgil. They kept them locked to Janus as he pumped them full of cum over and over again. As they were doing now.

Virgil threw their head back, gasping for air as they felt the warm semen fill them up. Janus pressed kisses to their neck as he rutted against them, desperately trying to impregnate them. It was breeding season, and even if Virgil was on birth control, he continued to try. Virgil took a month off of work, telling their employer it was a soulmate emergency. Janus was able to work from home full time, so he didn't have to change a thing. He got possessive over all of them during this time of year, and having his mates naked and in sight was for the best. Once he felt his orgasm come to an end, he began squeezing again, making Virgil cry out. Roman and Patton were busying themselves with work, able to work from home. They'd run to fetch both of them water and food, but they didn't dare interfere with Janus' mating process. They stayed in the room so he felt safe, but he needed to use Virgil and Virgil alone, and they respected that.

"You smell fertile." Janus hissed, squeezing tighter. "This will be the last time, I promise. Then you can take a break."

He said that the last sixteen times. Virgil made a garbled noise, drunk off of cum at this point. Janus bit their neck, drawing blood and drinking. They were a bit dizzy because of blood loss. Janus got rather hungry as his breeding frenzy increased. He came in them again, pulling his face back.

"Patton or Roman, get the plugs. Both kinds. I'll need the anal one later." 

Virgil watched both beings get up and hurry to get what he was asking.

"We have to make sure I impregnate you. I'm going to fuck your ass once we plug you up."

They nodded, kissing him softly. The promised break was forgotten by both of them. For some reason, Virgil's whole body was hot. They didn't want a break. He released in them one more time, making them groan. "A lot."

"You're taking it so well. This is proof we're meant to be together. I can't breed Roman or Patton. The hooks and spikes don't lock in them. Let's see if they lock in more than one hole."

"So much."

Roman returned with both plugs, waiting until Janus unwrapped himself to put one in them. Patton came back with more water and snacks. Janus ignored the water in favor of wrapping around Virgil again, prodding at their ass. He entered quickly, making Virgil hiss and scratch at his shoulders. Janus grinned, nipping at their shoulder. "I fit perfectly here too. I wonder if they fit in your mouth. You were made for me, it seems. To carry my children."

He began to squeeze, smirking at the gasping from his partner.

"I'll pamper you. We'll keep you in my den during the whole ordeal. Keep you eternally pregnant."

As much as they didn't want to get pregnant just yet, it didn't sound terrible. They started to feel a sense of need. Warmth, protectiveness, and the need to reproduce. Virgil never felt that before. "Okay."

The tightening increased as the first load went in them. "Really?"

"Mmhm. In the future, you can keep me pregnant. I'd like that."

"You won't be allowed to work or leave the den."

"Okay. It'll take a bit since I don't want to move in just yet, but I'll quit my job and sell my house when we're ready."

Janus hissed in satisfaction, releasing another load. He went back to biting and drinking their blood, relishing in the fucked out look on their face. "Keep speaking like that, love, and you'll be quitting your job now. So glad we found you. I'm going to keep you here. No more birth control."

That was bullshit. As the only one who could bear children, Virgil had to have a permission form signed by each soulmate so they could start birth control. Their soulmates, as disgusted as they were that Virgil wasn't able to decide on their own body, signed it immediately. Janus was the first to sign. Virgil was going to respond, but they instead broke into a groan. Janus ran his hands down their chest, squeezing their breasts lightly.

"Perfect, dear. No one can enter our space until I know you and our eggs are safe. Now, we have two options for the future. You can surgically get eggs or we could have a live birth. The eggs may be easier, both for fertilization and birthing. There will be more than ten children inside of you."

Virgil went limp, orgasming for maybe a tenth time. The words and emotions bringing them over. Janus released in them at the same time, smiling.

"Just a bit more, dear. You can take a nap once we're done. A little more, alright?"

"More." Virgil repeated, mouthing at his shoulder. "Need more."

"You broke them!" Patton gasped, not realizing his voice was influencing Virgil's lust more. "Ro and I can handle your breeding lust, but they're just a human."

Virgil let out a high pitch moan, scratching at Janus' back again. 

"So good, love." Janus whispered, kissing up their neck. "I'll make sure you want nothing but this endlessly."

Virgil nodded, closing their eyes. For some reason, they could feel Janus' urges. They wanted this. No colors, but they could feel their energy kick into gear again. The nap could wait, they decided. For now they needed more.

Janus made them need more.

* * *

"Well I have good news and bad news."

After the sixteenth hour of nonstop intimacy, the fae--minus Janus, who was lost in a haze--realized they should call someone to check the bonds. Humans weren't supposed to be able to go that long. Patton and Roman immediately went to call Logan. Virgil was wrapped in sheets. Janus didn't let them get dressed after they were done, promising to continue breeding them after. Logan inspected their eyes and face, not touching their body after Janus already threatened him. He lifted the sheet, ignoring the warning hiss from Janus.

"Yes, alright. Bad news. The bond isn't fully healed. It looks like a five year old tied two strings together. It'll still function as a bond. The good news is that it's healing. Whatever curse you have wasn't made to damage the bond completely. I don't think the witch realized bonds can fix themselves."

Virgil nodded, scooting back. They felt Janus' arms wrap around them.

"Janus, you can't hoard the patient. Go sit with Remus."

Janus let go slowly, slithering off to sit with Roman's brother. Logan removed the sheet, putting a hand on Virgil's chest.

"Breathe slowly. I want to see how the string reacts to pressure."

Virgil did so, not really sure what was happening. Logan clicked his tongue, nodding. 

"It can handle resistance, so it's stronger than it looks. I'm sure your bonds will all reconnect. I'd suggest spending equal time with each other. No hoarding a singular person. I don't care if their body was made for a single soulmate. It's the same way Roman and Patton have a stronger physical connection to each other. You're allowed to have those, but you need to establish the psychological and soul connections. They need to be equally strong between the four of you. Virgil's ability to have soulmates depends on it."

"Thanks." Virgil mumbled, pulling the sheets over themself again. They let out a grunt when they felt Patton dive into them, hugging tightly. "Pat--"

"Gotta bond with you! You heard Lo! It's for our own good! Once Janus' breeding season is over, you should sleep over. We can all sleep in the same bed! It'll be good! I know you're already staying the month, but this way we can all sleep together!"

"Janus isn't really letting me sleep in general, so that'd be nice."

Janus hissed in response, but Virgil could feel his emotions. He was planning on wrapping Virgil up, curling up with all the soulmates, and building their bonds. Virgil smiled at that, shaking their head. Logan cleared his throat, making a specific face that made Virgil's blood run cold and wiped the smile right off their face. "I don't know what deal you made with this witch, but if you ever break these bonds, Remus and I won't hesitate to break you. If anything happens, we'll find you. If you hurt them, cause any doubt, or kick Roman again, we'll make sure you pay."

Same speech Virgil used to give to their friends. It was a little more intimidating because a non-human was saying it, but they knew this well. They gave a nod, cutting off Patton's start of a protest.

"What deal did you even make?"

They were quiet at that. They loved their parents, really, but each time they told someone about the deal their parents made, it ended poorly. Child services visited their house a lot, making sure they were well cared for and not neglected. They stopped talking about the curse after the twelfth agent came. Roman began stammering, claiming that no more questions were needed. Logan kept staring, waiting for a response. Virgil closed their eyes. "I wasn't born yet. The deal was made before I was born, and something went wrong. That's all I feel comfortable saying."

Patton began singing, putting Virgil in a trance. He sent a glare at Logan as he kept singing, rocking them slightly. Logan packed up his stuff, motioning for Remus to follow. He paused, glancing at Virgil once more. "You only feel Janus' emotions?"

"Yes? I can sort of tell with Patton and Roman because I know them, but I don't feel anything strong."

"Hm. Alright. Remus, let's go."

Remus got up with a grin, walking towards the human. "Tell me if you punch Roman. I love finding his weak points!"

"They will do no such thing! Shoo! Both of you shoo!" Roman said, leading them out of the cave. He returned, wrapping his arms around Virgil and Patton as Janus slithered around them all. Virgil allowed themself to close their eyes. They were safe.

They would always be safe.

* * *

Patton got less stares than Roman or Janus did in town. He usually brought a dry erase board with him into town, writing down questions when he went to find Virgil. He usually used the board for work, but it was helpful when he didn't want to entice random people. People knew him now, but he confused people with very biased descriptions of Virgil when he first arrived in town. He stopped at the cafe to get them hot chocolate, already able to feel the anger and anxiety riddling their poor human. He had no idea what happened to them, but it couldn't've been good. He made his way to the library where Virgil was clocking out, a glum look on their face. They stopped to talk to their boss, getting a check. That's weird. They usually got paid on Fridays! Patton checked his phone. It was still Tuesday.

They brightened up a bit when they saw Patton, still dragging their feet as they made their way over. Patton handed them the hot chocolate, flinching at the lack of interest. He spoke quietly, making sure no other humans heard his voice. "Bad day, sweetheart?"

"Yeah. I need to be home."

Patton's heart fluttered at that. Virgil moved in last week, and they already referred to the cave as home! He loved that, even if they were down in the dumps. Virgil took a sip of the hot chocolate as they began their journey back, relaxing at the taste and warmth. Their eyes fluttered shut as soon as the library's dim lighting was replaced by the beaming sun. 

"Thanks."

"You gonna tell me why we're all pouty today?"

"I got fired."

Oh.

"Apparently taking off an uninterrupted month and a half each year made me unreliable, so when cuts had to be made, I was on the top of the list. Today was my last day. I didn't have to work, but a part of me was convinced if I did my best, they'd change their minds. They didn't, obviously."

"Oh, sweetheart! I'm so sorry! We could always destroy that awful, evil building!"

They smiled at that. "You can't hide your emotions. You're thrilled I'll be a little house soulmate. I can feel it."

Then they froze.

"Oh my god. I can feel it."

"Oh! Let's get you home! I want to tell the others! We'll also talk about your lack of employment, but Janus and Roman will be as happy as I am about that. We hate when you go into town. It's pointless. You should just be in the cave--"

"Having your children. Yes, yes, I know. We all want me to do that, and now I can."

"Ooo! Do you think our children would be sirens? Maybe half human? You'll teach them how to not do the voice. I still don't know how to do that!"

"I know. Part of the reason I was fired was because I'd zone out, stuck in a trance. It's probably for the best that I got fired. It's really hard to live with you and leave your side. Oh god. You go into work. Pat, how am I supposed to let you leave? I can't do that."

"Janus works from home. He'll keep you entertained."

"I know, but how the hell am I supposed to let you leave?"

"Guess Janus will just have to keep breeding you until I'm gone. His whole schedule has been going crazy since you moved in. We've finally hit a break."

"Thank god. My whole body hurts. One more day of that, and my mind would break."

Patton didn't say anything, but the emotions were clear. Virgil sputtered a bit, pausing their movement.

"Patton!"

"Sorry! It's just a nice thought! You're so easily pleased by us and our magic! I like imagining you in endless bliss. You don't need to leave the cave anymore. You don't really need your mind properly working, right? Imagine being reduced to just orgasms and birthing. Oh, I can picture you now. It'd be perfect for us. Wouldn't you like that?"

"I run out of pills next week."

Patton frowned, nodding. "I can call the--"

"Patton. I run out of my birth control pills next week."

"Yes, I--"

"We should schedule an appointment with a witch or fae surgeon, shouldn't we? Makes Janus' whole thing so much easier if I didn't push out live lamias."

He finally understood, brightening up. He swooped Virgil up, making them yelp, and began sprinting down the road. He didn't stop until they reached the cave, and even then, he ran past their other soulmates into the eating den. He placed them on the table. He moved quickly to start making food as Janus and Roman slowly entered. Roman took their hand, kissing it over and over again as Janus wrapped around Patton. Patton had a big grin, chopping up mushrooms. "Virgil and I connected!"

"Oh!" Roman squeezed their hand. "Can you--"

Virgil shook their head. "No colors. So many emotions. Fuck."

Patton placed the fungi in front of them, smiling. He didn't really eat, so more often then not, Virgil got raw ingredients as meals. From all of them, really. Janus once gave them a deer carcass and expected them to eat it like that. Roman couldn't offer fae food, so he would enchant Virgil to feel full if they said they were hungry.

"Thanks Pat."

"Of course! Oh! Virgil's birth control runs out soon!"

Roman immediately got up to grab the phone, but Patton caught him and pushed him back to a chair.

"Virgil's staying off of it! They don't want live births, so we should contact a surgeon. Hmm, we can't just make it so you only produce eggs. Ro and I may want our turns with you having our children. We'll talk to the doctors about that!"

Janus finally unraveled from Patton, going straight for Virgil and constricting around them. "I want you naked in the next five minutes."

"Um, not yet. Virge, sweetheart, want to tell them the, uh, bad news?"

They snorted, rolling their eyes. "Bad for me, great for you all. I got fired--oh god."

The emotions were rampant. A wave of happiness and protectiveness ran through them. They slumped a bit in their chair, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Janus instantly got off, moving to his final soulmate as Virgil counted their breathing. They moved the mushrooms aside to lay their head down, smiling. They couldn't really stay upset when they felt all of these emotions coursing through them. It felt so good. Roman kissed their hand again as Patton kissed their neck.

They were starting to enjoy the whole soulmate thing.

* * *

"Do you think our bond isn't happening because I misgendered you when we first met?"

"Princey, now is not the time."

"I don't know when the right time is if not now."

"Not when I'm--ah fuck--pushing out lamia eggs."

The forty seventh egg came out. Patton sang to Virgil earlier to make the whole birthing process more pleasurable. None of their soulmates knew humans felt pain during childbirth, so when Virgil was screaming in pain at the start, they all panicked. Virgil was more than halfway done, gasping and writhing against Roman's chest as more eggs were pushed out. He pressed a kiss to their sweaty forehead as the forty eighth and forty ninth eggs came tumbling out, joining a pile. Patton had been coming in and bringing the eggs into an incubation room, and Janus was watching over the eggs, so that left Roman to hold them. "This is only your first clutch. You realize Janus is going to deliver on the promise to keep you pregnant forever, right? Once these are all out, he's filling you again."

Virgil moaned softly, letting their head fall to the side as the fiftieth came out. The surgery went well. They had a second uterus that naturally produced eggs after having multiple fae doctors help. A bit of an odd request, but one look at their soulmates convinced the doctors.

"You're such a good birther."

"Is that to replace mother and father?"

"Absolutely. I never claimed to be good with words."

They laughed, breaking into a grunt as three more eggs were pushed out. "I'm going to murder Janus. He said over ten. He didn't say nearly sixty."

"Maybe more. You're in prime birthing time."

"I swear to god if we have over a hundred kids, I'll kill you all."

"The good news about lamias is that they fend for themselves. The children venture off right when they hatch. If we want kids that stay, you need to have sex with me or Pat. Breath slowly. You're doing so well."

"Fuck! Okay, okay. Uh, I think there's five more in me."

He hummed, pressing another kiss to their head. "You look good pregnant. I'm glad you're letting us keep you that way."

"Ro--oh fuck. I'm so glad you're here. I didn't want to be alone."

"Of course, love."

Two more came tumbling out. Roman ran a hand down their chest, feeling their stomach once he reached it. Pretty stretch marks were on the sides, and if Janus lived up to his promise, there'd be more.

"Maybe you'll have a larger clutch next time. I'd love it if you couldn't move because of how heavy they all are. Maybe get some bigger eggs. I could enchant you so they're giant. Make one the size of a blender. I can see you pushing it out now. Absolutely beautiful."

Virgil babbled something unintelligible. The last three eggs came out slowly, leaving them breathless against Roman. Patton came in to get the eggs, promising to send Janus in when he got there. Roman helped Virgil sit up, smiling. 

"Good job. I'll leave you two alone so you can--"

"Roman, it isn't the misgendering. I don't know why our bond hasn't formed. It's not because I don't love you."

He looked down at that, smiling. Virgil could say what they wanted, but he always doubted it. Virgil shuffled onto his lap, kissing his cheek.

"I love you. Bond or no bond. That's all I could think about for the last three years. I wouldn't let you near me during this whole thing if I didn't. I feel safe with you. I'm so sorry I can't see colors. I love you so much. More than I love pasta, and I love pasta."

"You do. I've never seen a human unhinge their jaw and eat food like that."

"Fuck the bonds. I love you as much as I love the others. Nothing can change that. Even if I can't see. I've been able to feel your emotions since I met you just by knowing you; even when we're apart. Stop pouting."

"I'm sorry, love. I just want the evidence of a bond."

"I know you do. We can call Logan in the morning, alright? First thing. We'll call him and see if there's something wrong with our particular bond."

"Thank you. Alright, let me head out. Janus needs you alone to feel safe using you."

Virgil pressed another kiss to his lips before pulling back. "You'll hold me during the next birth, right?"

"For each one."

"And the soulmate thing?"

"Complete and utter bullshit."

* * *

The bond was fully healed. It had been for awhile, but Logan thought it wasn't actually healed at first, just tangled. It made no sense to the elf. Logan said it was there since he first met Virgil. Roman was offended, demanding why Logan wouldn't tell them that.

"As I said, I thought they simply were tangled. When Virgil was near any of you, the strings would overlap, but they wouldn't connect. Virgil, do you sometimes have issues seeing?"

"Um, yeah, sort of? It's not terrible. It's harder to see when it's bright out, so I usually close my eyes and rely on muscle memory."

"You have achromatopsia. It's quite rare as far as color blindness goes. The cones in your eyes don't function correctly. I don't think this has to do with the curse. I think you just have bad genetics."

"That is completely possible. I didn't get my mom's arthritis, so I might as well have this."

"There's your issue. The bond is fine. It's actually stronger than the other two. It had been since I first inspected."

"Oh my god," Virgil covered their mouth, snickering. "Roman, we bonded over hating the idea of soulmates. What the fuck?"

"We did what? Oh my--" He grinned, kissing Virgil's nose. He moved to his lips, pressing kiss after kiss in excitement. Logan made a disgruntled noise, moving away to speak to Patton as the two continued their affection. Excitement, joy, fulfillment-- "anxious?"

Virgil only realized he stopped kissing them, concern masking his face. 

"I don't know what I did to bring the mood down."

"No! No, you didn't! I just--I realized I have to introduce you to my parents."

"Do they not like non-humans?"

"No, that's fine."

"Queer relationships?"

"They're fine with those."

"Then what's wrong?"

Virgil looked down, kicking their feet slightly. "You have to use my birth name and female pronouns when you meet them."

There was still a hint of joy, no doubt coming from Janus and Patton who didn't hear what Virgil said, but the vibe completely shifted. Anger, a bit of pity, and a lot of fear. 

"It's not a big deal--"

"Why would I have to use those? Why?"

"They don't know, and they can't know. My parents aren't really updated with modern times, and they only know boy and girl. I tried to explain the whole gender isn't sex thing, but it goes in one ear and out the other. God forbid they know about people being trans or non binary. It'll be fine. I can handle it. If we stick to Janus' breeding schedule, we'll only be there for four or five hours. A nice little introduction, explaining I'm pregnant, but the kids live independently, and maybe dinner. I'll explain that Janus needs to drink my blood, so they shouldn't get concerned and think he's trying to kill me. You'll have to call me Tara, but I can handle it for one day."

"I--Virgil, I will do my best to protect you. If I have to misgender you again, I'll do it. I won't be happy, but if it keeps you safe, I'll do it."

"Thank you. No calling me Virgil when we go. They'll just get confused."

Roman pulled them close, kissing their neck and rocking slightly. They felt warm again. A nice, gentle need to protect everyone, and pure joy of being there. Virgil closed their eyes, relaxing. The whole soulmate thing was still bullshit in their mind, but maybe it was better than they thought.

It felt good to have three soulmates.

**Author's Note:**

> Author fact: I've been teaching myself piano to destress. I'm learning Spy Again from Spies Are Forever, and once I have that mastered, I'm giving Samson by Regina Spektor a try. That or another SAF song.


End file.
